End the Poor Pay and Conditions of Mitie Security Guards at Southampton General Hospital!

The Mitie Security Guards at Southampton General Hospital are experiencing huge problems with their employer.

Although the Mitie Security Guards protect NHS workers, they get less favourable terms and conditions for doing so. Their pay is lower, their sick pay arrangements are poor, and they aren’t provided with proper PPE to carry out their roles. With violent incidents on the increase, and with little financial support when they’re injured at work, they have been left with no choice but to take industrial action in support of their claims.

For example, if a Mitie Security Guard is injured at work, and if the resulting investigation finds in their favour, they’ll receive two weeks’ full-pay, two weeks’ half-pay, then statutory sick pay thereafter. However, we have had members returning to work after two weeks, even when they’re unfit to do so, as to suffer the financial detriment of dropping down to half-pay would mean missed mortgage payments and financial hardship.

And not only that. Mitie have been made aware over the last six months that the PPE provided to the Security Guards to carry out their job is wholly inadequate; they are also aware that, due to cuts in the police force, they rarely get the necessary support from the police in defusing violent and dangerous situations; nevertheless, that hasn’t stopped Mitie instructing their Security Guards to put themselves into some potentially very dangerous situations with little to no PPE.

This is unacceptable and does not reflect the worth of those providing a key public service – it has to stop.

Unite is asking both members of the public and NHS workers to sign this petition and tell Mitie that the treatment of their Security Guards is unacceptable!

The demands of the Mitie Security Guards are clear:

£10.50 an hour for Security Officers and £12.16 for Supervisors.

Additional payments of 50p per hour on night rates, £1 per hour on Saturdays, and double time on Sundays.

6 months’ full pay followed by 6 months’ half pay for all sickness absence.

Adequate PPE such as stab vests and handcuffs.

Please sign the petition and send a clear message to Mitie that the Security Guards are a key part of the NHS family, delivering an essential NHS service, and should be valued as such!